How to use a video reference file?

Support Animation related help
1

How do we use a video reference?
Can we bring videos in Synfig? Is there some other way outside synfig were we can match frame by frame movement from a video file.
I can’t think of anything, even a workaround would be nice.

2

Hi,
what you can do:

  • Export the video as a sequence of images (video editor or see the link at the end of the post)
  • Create a list of the images
  • Import them (the .lst) as background layer in Synfig https://wiki.synfig.org/Doc:ListImporter
  • Then draw or animate on layers above
  • Finally remove your reference images

You can optionaly add a “masking” layer which you can activate to mask the reference video images, just above
or simply play with the checkbox on the left of the layer to avoid its render

Don’t forget to adjust the size of the canvas or “imports fit-to-canvas” option

Here are some info (in french, but mostly for commands)
https://wiki.synfig.org/Doc:How_Do_I/fr#Importer_un_film_.28vid.C3.A9o.29_dans_Synfig.3F

Hoping it will fit your needs :slight_smile:

1 Like
3

Awesome Convert-movie-to-png-seq.sh makes it easy in ubuntu.
In windows I suppose you need a manual approach: video editor + and a program cu create a list of the files in folder.

Thank you.

4

Or you could use a VirtualBox with Ubuntu (18.04 LTS prefered) as guest OS.
You could then use Seamless mode to have only your desired apps transparently.
I was doing this way when I was using Windows, it is a lot faster and stable and you could benefit of the latests dev appimages
The link goes to Patreon, don’t worry it is just to have the latest dev reports and versions :wink: